UNICEF and the Safeguard of Children Rights Essay Example for Free

UNICEF and the Safeguard of Children Rights Essay UNICEF’s mission is to advocate for the protection of children’s rights, to help meet their basic needs and to expand their opportunities to reach their full potential. UNICEF is guided in doing this by the provisions and principles of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNICEF, 2008). Built on varied legal systems and cultural traditions, the Convention is a universally agreed set of non-negotiable standards and obligations (UNICEF, 2006). The Convention on the Rights of the Child is the first legally binding international instrument to incorporate the full range of human rights civil, cultural, economic, political and social rights (Freeman, 1996). In 1989, world leaders decided that children needed a special convention just for them because people under eighteen years old often need special care and protection that adults do not (Alston, 1992). The leaders also wanted to make sure that the world recognized that children have human rights too. The Convention sets out these rights in 54 articles and two Optional Protocols. It spells out the basic human rights that children everywhere have: the right to survival; to develop to the fullest; to protection from harmful influences, abuse and exploitation; and to participate fully in family, cultural and social life (UNICEF, 2006). The four core principles of the Convention are non-discrimination; devotion to the best interests of the child; the right to life, survival and development; and respect for the views of the child (Jasper, 1994). Every right spelled out in the Convention is inherent to the human dignity and harmonious development of every child. The Convention protects childrens rights by setting standards in health care; education; and legal, civil and social services (Jasper, 1994). By agreeing to undertake the obligations of the Convention, national governments committed themselves to protecting and ensuring childrens rights and they have agreed to hold themselves accountable for this commitment before the international community. States parties to the Convention are obliged to develop and undertake all actions and policies in the light of the best interests of the child (Stein, 1998). Most of the governments have incorporated this issue in their development plan courtesy of UNICEF. UNICEFs work for the overall protection of childhood is guided by the principles and standards established by the Convention on the Rights of the Child (Walker, 1999). In advocating to protect childrens rights, to help meet their basic needs and to expand their opportunities to reach their full potential, UNICEF helps to change the legal and policy framework of States parties and to improve understanding of the Convention itself at all levels of society (Walker, 1999). Among other activities, UNICEF works in nearly 160 countries to support ratification and implementation of the Convention and the Optional Protocols on the involvement of children in armed conflict and on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography (UNICEF, 2008). UNICEF draws attention to the duties of governments, families, communities and individuals to respect those rights and supports them in doing so. During armed conflict, children are targeted for the worst possible violence and abuse, including abduction, rape and recruitment as child soldiers, and may be forced or coerced to take part in atrocities (Peters, 1997). Because children are among the most affected by conflict they become victims and witnesses of these offences (Brandes, 1999). The lack of accountability for conflict-related crimes against children can leave child victims vulnerable to further violation and abuse. Accountability in post-conflict situations can fulfill a number of important functions (Peters, 1997). It contributes to the process of healing and helps children understand that they are not to blame for what has happened. By investigating and documenting violations committed, accountability processes raise public awareness of the impacts of conflict on children (Dobrish, 1999). Accountability can also help to break the cycle of violence, restore confidence in democracy and the rule of law, and strengthen the legitimacy and authority of the new government (Fox, 1997). In recent years, truth, justice and reconciliation processes have begun to focus specifically on crimes committed against children and have involved children proactively, including through testimony that bears witness to their experiences(Dobrish, 1999). The recent involvement of children and adolescents in providing testimony to international and national courts and truth commissions has demonstrated their unique role as participants and as members of their communities (UNICEF, 2008). But if children are to engage in transitional justice processes their rights must be respected. The review and analysis of emerging good practices on the involvement of children and adolescents in truth, justice and reconciliation processes has brought to light a number of dilemmas. For example, it is recognized that children and adolescents who have been recruited to take part in hostilities are primarily victims of armed conflict. At the same time, many argue that some form of accountability for crimes committed by children is in their best interests and could contribute to processes of reconciliation and reintegration (Teitelbaum, 1999). Mechanisms of accountability for serious violations committed during armed conflict include a wide range of options, such as judicial prosecutions, truth commissions, restorative justice processes and traditional practices (Kurmay, 1996). When children engage in truth, justice and reconciliation processes, new possibilities and new challenges are encountered. In a number of instances, child-friendly procedures have been introduced to safeguard the rights of children who become involved and to support their protection throughout the process (Teitelbaum, 1999). This can help build children’s confidence and restore their sense of justice in the social and political order, while also establishing a mechanism of accountability for crimes committed against them. However, many questions remain as to how best to protect the rights of children involved as victims and witnesses in these contexts. Ideally children’s participation should strengthen and enhance their protection, and protection measures should enable participation (Kurmay, 1996). In the long term, if children are excluded from transitional processes, they may become frustrated and vulnerable to a continuing cycle of violence, impacting future generations. Failure to address their concerns also wastes the capacity and potential of children and adolescents to serve as catalysts for reconciliation and peace-building within their own communities (Dwyer, 1999). The importance of furthering efforts to support children’s involvement in transitional justice processes was identified during an expert discussion on Transitional Justice and Children convened by the UNICEF Innocenti Research Centre (IRC) in November 2005. It was proposed that research on children and truth commissions be undertaken, identifying good practices and lessons learned, and recommending strategies to improve and facilitate children’s participation in future truth commissions(UNICEF, 2006). Documentation on the role of children in truth commissions was initiated by UNICEF IRC and the International Center for Transitional Justice (ICTJ) (UNICEF, 2006). In the course of research underway on children and truth commissions, a number of issues have emerged requiring further research and analysis in order to better understand the potential and the limits of children’s participation in transitional justice processes (ACF, 2007). As a result it was decided to initiate an Expert Paper Series on Children and Transitional Justice, addressing a broad range of issues, including judicial accountability, truth-seeking, local, traditional and restorative justice processes, and institutional reform. The Series has helped to build a network for sharing information and expertise, generating discussion and debate among key stakeholders (UNICEF, 2006). These include child protection advocates, government agents, legal experts and academics. The objective of the expert paper series is to improve accountability for crimes against children and to protect the rights of children involved in transitional justice processes (ACF, 2007). Specific papers will document and analyze emerging good practices and lessons learned; evaluate the potential role of children; and anticipate and promote strategies for involving children in future transitional processes(ACF, 2007). It is anticipated that studies undertaken in this series will help to guide the involvement of children in truth, justice and reconciliation processes in post-conflict transition. UNICEF works closely with other human rights bodies such as Human Security Network (HSN). This is an organization which has a long-standing commitment to human rights and to the protection of the most vulnerable both in peace and in times of conflict (Marta, 2007). The Human Security Network plays a decisive role in advancing the implementation of the Convention and of its two Optional Protocols, and in reaffirming, in each and every decision the general principles of non discrimination, best interests of the child, survival and development and participation of the child (UNICEF, 2008). The year 2007 was a landmark year for the protection of children’s rights. Indeed, 2007 marked the 18th anniversary of the adoption of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (Marta, 2007). As the Convention entered a new stage of adulthood there was an opportunity to celebrate the many important achievements and to critically reflect on the best ways of addressing the challenges ahead. The year was also marked by the General Assembly mid decade review of the follow-up to the Special Session on Children. This process was an important opportunity to reaffirm our shared commitment to children, to advance the Millennium Agenda and further consolidate a world fit for children (Marta, 2007). By 2007, there is a full prohibition of all forms of violence against children in 19 countries (UNICEF, 2008). Legislation was adopted in The Netherlands where law enactment is being supported by a communication plan designed to inform parents and the general public about the legal ban in the lead up to its entry into force. New Zealand has banned the use of reasonable force for parents in the disciplining of their children (ACF, 2008). In a number of other nations draft legislation has been prepared and in others public commitments have been undertaken to ban all forms of violence (ACF, 2008). Once the changes become effective within each of these States, one fifth of the UN Member States would have extended legal protection to prevent violence against children (UNICEF, 2008). UNICEF have recently developed and launched a Handbook on what parliamentarians can do to protect children from violence (UNICEF, 2008). With the participation of parliamentarians and international organizations from more than 100 countries, the launch was an opportunity to anticipate actions parliaments can take to ensure children’s freedom from violence, including through their legislative power, and to encourage and oversee government action and to promote the allocation of resources for relevant programmes and interventions(UNICEF, 2008). The Handbook will be translated in national languages and used as an important tool to support follow-up to the UN Study on Violence (Marta, 2007). The Human Security Network have partnered to promote its wide dissemination and use. Naturally, legislation is only meaningful when it is effectively applied. To make law enforcement a reality it is important to engage children in the process of implementation (Masson, 1999). It is for this reason that UNICEF has joined efforts with a number of partners to produce the child friendly version of the UN Guidelines on justice in matters involving child victims and witnesses of crime. The child friendly version was launched at the recent Crime Prevention Commission, in Vienna (UNICEF, 2008). The previous months show the instrumental role played by Professor Pinheiro as a global advocate and a catalyst for social change. But the task is just beginning and only by moving the implementation forward can we build a world free from violence for every child, wherever he or she may live (Marta, 2007). France hosted a major conference in 2006 where a wide range partners endorsed the Paris Principles to stop the recruitment and use of children in adult wars. The document represents the state of the art knowledge in the prevention, protection and reintegration of children recruited by armed forces and groups. And it has a unique potential to ensure the realization of children’s rights more broadly (UNICEF, 2008). These milestones are mutually complementary and provide a strategic vision for the future. More importantly, they give us a golden occasion to make a real difference in the lives of children (UNICEF, 2008). At the heart of this process are two closely related dimensions; child participation and the prevention of violence and conflict. Together, they both support the protection of children’s rights. A recent study of the Innocenti Research Centre a partner of UNICEF on â€Å"Birth Registration and Armed Conflict† revealed a few truths. Birth Registration is a permanent and official record of a child’s existence (Marta, 2007). It is a fundamental human right and has strong implications for the enjoyment of other human rights it thus stand as a vivid illustration of the indivisibility of children’s rights and a call to always keep a child centered approach. In times of war, birth registration gains a special relevance for child protection, for the prevention of child recruitment, abduction and exploitation, as well as for access to humanitarian assistance (ABA, 2007). Over 25 truth commissions have been convened in various countries over the last decades and several have addressed the experiences of children (ABA, 2007). But the Truth Reconciliation Commission (TRC) for Sierra Leone was the first truth commission to specifically focus on children as victims and witnesses, and to profile children’s role as actors in the reconciliation process. It is also the first case where a children’s version of the Commission’s report was prepared (ACF, 2008 ). The children’s version of the Sierra Leone Truth and Reconciliation Commission Report is one example of how children can contribute to community efforts towards reconciliation and transition, while helping to break the cycle of violence and re-establish confidence in the rule of law. UNICEF has had its fair share of challenges in protecting the rights of children. Civil wars especially in Africa have always targeted the children as recruits and this has always been a hurdle for the organization to overcome. Advocacy for children rights in a civic war infested area has not always been easy for them since the lives of the employees are also threatened. Lack of political will in various countries to support the UNICEF’s initiatives has been another monster in children rights protection. Some government agents like the police may be uncooperative in issues of child trafficking, pornography and other related cases hence the risk of failing to catch non-convicted abusers. Other barriers that have been along UNICEF’s path to success are undeveloped, unimplemented and conflicting policies on children rights and responsibilities in many countries. Lack of adequate funds to support their initiatives especially in less developed countries. Traditional practices and taboos among communities are also a major impediment since some encourage abusive practices against children such as communities’ warriors, early marriages, and local slave trade among others. Children are members of their communities and by taking part in community action they increase awareness and confidence and build their capacity for citizenship (Teitelbaum, 1999). Through their involvement in community reconciliation efforts, children can become advocates and catalysts within their families and communities, energizing reconciliation and nation building efforts (Jackson, 1999). It is by addressing the root causes of conflict and providing realistic opportunities for young people that we can begin to break the inter-generational violence that has resulted in protracted conflicts in many countries today. Finally, as we move forward and support actions to prevent all forms of violence in peace and in war through UNICEF, we must not forget that at the centre of all our efforts are individual children whose lives hang in the balance of our actions. We cannot wait another minute. When Graca Machel prepared her report in 1995, she was asked by a child, â€Å"How long will it take before things get better? A month, a year? † Today that child is an adult and another generation of children is asking the same question (UNICEF, 2008). How long will it take? The life of a child leaves no second chance. That is the urgency that must drive us in our efforts to make a real difference, a lasting difference. References: Alston, Philip, et al. , Children, rights, and the law. Oxford England: Clarendon Press; New York: Oxford University Press, 1992. Alston, Philip. The best interests of the child: reconciling culture and human rights. Oxford: Clarendon Press; New York: Oxford University Press, 1994. Angel, William D. The international law of youth rights : source documents and commentary. Dordrecht ; Boston : M. Nijhoff, 1995. Carey, Jacqueline M. Section of Family Law Home Page. American Bar Association Family Law Section. URL: http://www. abanet. org/family/ Cohen, Cynthia Price. Childrens rights in America : U. N. Convention on the rights of the child compared with United States law. [Chicago, Ill. ] : American Bar Association Center on Children and the Law, [in cooperation with] Defense for Children International-USA, c1990. Freeman, Michael. Childrens rights : a comparative perspective. Aldershot, Hants, England ; Brookfield, Vt. : Dartmouth Pub. Co. , c1996. Jasper, Margaret C. Juvenile justice and childrens law. Dobbs Ferry, NY : Oceana Publications, 1994. Masson, J. M. (Judith M. ) Out of hearing : representing children in care proceedings. Chichester ; New York : Wiley, c1999. Mezey, Susan Gluck. Children in court : public policymaking and federal court decisions. Albany : State University of New York Press, c1996.

An analysis of the Hindu caste system

An analysis of the Hindu caste system The caste system is one of the oldest forms of social stratification and even though it may be prohibited by the law, the political divisions continue to exist in the minds of the people leaving many oppressed. Before the caste system, India had four groups or divisions already established: the Negrito, Mongoloid, Austroloid and Dravidian. It was during the Aryan invasion around 1500 BCE when the caste system was created. The word caste derives from the Portuguese word casta , meaning breed, race, or kind. In this system, the citizens are divided into categories or castes. Varna, the Sanskrit word for color, refers to large divisions that include various castes; the other terms include castes and subdivisions of castes sometimes called subcastes. Among the Indian terms that are sometimes translated as caste are jati, jat, biradri, and samaj. There are thousands of castes and subcastes in India. It follows a basic precept: All men are created unequal. Each category or jat has a specia l role to play in the society as well as a unique function: this structure is a means of creating and organizing an effective society. The caste system in India is primarily associated with Hinduism but also exists among other Indian religious groups. Castes are ranked and named. Membership is achieved by birth. Castes are also endogamous groups. Marriages and relationships between members of different castes, while not actually prohibited, face strong social disapproval and the threat of ostracism or even violence. To illustrate, in a notorious case in August 2001, a Brahmin boy and a lower-caste girl were publicly hanged by members of their families in Uttar Pradesh, India for refusing to end their inter-caste relationship. The first of the four basic Vedic books, which are considered the source of Indian wisdom, is the Rig Veda- a collection of over 1,000 hymns containing the basic mythology of the Aryan gods. The Rig Veda contains one of the most famous sections in ancient Indian literature in which the first man created, Purusa, is sacrificed in order to give rise to the four varnas. The varna of Brahmans emerged from the mouth. They are the priests and teachers, and look after the intellectual and spiritual needs of the community. They preside over knowledge and education. The varna of Kshatriyas emerged from the arms. Their responsibility is to rule and to protect members of the community. They are associated with rulers and warriors including property owners. The varna of Vaishyas emerged from the thighs. They are the merchants and traders and those who look after commerce and agriculture. The varna of Sudras emerged from the feet. They are the laborers. Castes or subcastes besides the four mentioned include such groups as the Bhumihar or landowners and the Kayastha or scribes. Some castes arose from very specific occupations, such as the Garudi snake charmers or the Sonjhari, who collected gold from river beds. Each caste is believed by devout Hindus to have its own dharma, or divinely ordained code of proper conduct. Brahmans are usually expected to be nonviolent and spiritual, according to their traditional roles as vegetarian teetotaler priests. Kshatriyas are supposed to be strong, as fighters and rulers should be, with a taste for aggression, eating meat, and drinking alcohol. Vaishyas are stereotyped as adept businessmen, in accord with their traditional activities in commerce. Shudras are often described by others as tolerably pleasant. The existence of rigid ranking is supernaturally validated through the idea of rebirth according to a persons karma, the sum of an individuals deeds in this life and in past lives. After death, a persons life is judged by divine forces, and rebirth is assigned in a high or a low place, depending upon what is deserved. This supernatural sanction can never be neglected, because it brings a person to his or her position in the caste hierarchy, relevant to every transaction involving food or drink, speaking, or touching. The Rig Veda mentions how the four varnas were created but it does not mention the concept of untouchability. The idea of an Untouchable caste à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ is not in the Vedas or the law books, which list only four varnas. It is a part of the system that has been created by society itself. Untouchables are the fifth group. They are considered unworthy that they fall outside of the caste system. In 1950, the term Untouchable was eradicated under Indias constitution, and untouchables are now formally referred to as the Scheduled Castes. Gandhi referred to untouchables as Harijan, which means people of God. Politically active untouchables feel that this term Harijan might evoke pity rather than respect, and prefer the term Dalits, which means, oppressed. Dalits are descendants of the ancient Dravidians of India who lost their language and were subjugated due to the linguistic and socio-cultural oppression by the perpetrators of the caste system. While Dalits in Tamil Nadu speak Tamil, their brethren in other parts of India speak different Dravidian or tribal dialects or languages that arose due to mixtures of Tamil, Sanskrit, Persian and Arabic, such as Hindustani (Hindi). As an Indian is born into the caste system, they are supposed to stay with that caste until death. What a person in each of these varnas can and cant do, is prescribed in detail in the laws of Manu, written by Brahman priests at least 2,000 years ago. The laws of Manu are inscribed in Indian culture. Umashankar Tripathy, a Brahman priest, says, Manu is engraved in every Hindu Untouchables or Dalits obviously live also by a certain set of rules. The occupations of people in caste systems are hereditary and dalits perform jobs that cause them to be considered impure and thus untouchable and for little or no pay at all. They are restricted to occupations such as landless farm workers and peasants, and forced into washing clothes, beating drums, cutting hair, cleaning latrines and sewers, working as a leatherworker (they work with animal skin which makes them unclean), street cleaners, and manual scavengers. Manual scavenging refers to disposal of human waste by hand, using only the most basic tools, typically a brush, a tin plate and a wicker basket. Scavengers also dispose of dead animals. Millions of Dalits work even as slaves. They mostly have no opportunities for better employment. Dalits live in the most congested and cramped slums in villages, towns and urban areas consisting of huts or ghettos which are damp and cramped. They live in the most insanitary conditions with no access to public health and sanitation amongst open sewers and open air toilets. There are no state sponsored public housing rights or public health rights in India. Most Dalits are forced to live in isolated areas. Even after death, grave sites are segregated. The best housing is reserved for the upper castes; the government provides separate amenities for each neighborhood, which are segregated on caste lines. Dalits are usually left with the worse of the amenities or none at all. Over 85% of Indian Dalits own no land and are dependent on landlords for work or land to rent; those that do own land may find it difficult or impossible to enforce their rights; workers rarely receive the statutory minimum wage. Furthermore, in past decades, Dalits in certain areas (especially in parts of the south) had to display extreme deference to high-status people, physically keeping their distancelest their touch or even their shadow pollute otherswearing neither shoes nor any upper body covering (even for women) in the presence of the upper castes. In northern India for example, untouchables had to use drums to let others know of their arrival. Even their shadows were considered polluted. In the south, some Brahmins ordered Untouchables to keep at least 65 feet away from them. Untouchables are shunned, insulted, banned from temples and higher caste homes, made to eat and drink from separate utensils in public places. The higher-caste people do not accept food or water from the untouchable because it would transmit the pollution permanent and inherent in the person of the untouchable. Thus, untouchables are not allowed to drink from the same wells, wear shoes in the presence of an upper caste, or drink from the same cups in tea stalls. They are not allowed to touch people from the four varnas or caste groups. They are not allowed to enter houses of the higher varnas especially in which the chula (the small earthen stove) is located. In public occasions, they were compelled to sit at a distance from the four varnas. They are also denied education, freedom of expression, and many other rights the higher classes have. Dalit children do not have access to education due to the lack of mandatory and universal primary and secondary education in India. Even in rural areas where there may be schools, Dalit children are ostracized, oppressed and stigmatized from attending school. Thus, few Dalit children progress beyond primary education and they are often made to sit at the back of the class. Nearly 90 percent of all the poor Indians and 95 percent of all the illiterate Indians are Dalits, according to the International Dalit Conference. Dalit Children are also subjected to atrocities such as sexual abuse in rural areas, physical abuse and murder just as adult Dalits are. They have a high level of malnutrition and ill health. Some are ordained into temple prostitution as a part of religious rituals for exploitation by non-Dalit men of the village or town. Dalit women do all the back breaking work society expects Dalits to do, such as manual scavenging, farm labour, stone breaking, etc., and in addition they have to bear domestic responsibilities as mothers and wives. Dalit women suffer double discrimination as Dalits and as women. They are exposed to sexual abuse at the hands of the so called caste Hindu men and also men who work or state authorities such as the police. They are frequently raped, gang-raped, beaten and tortured or forced to walk through the streets naked as punishment as an act of reprisal against male relatives who have committed some act worthy of upper-caste vengeance. Atrocities such as rape of Dalit women in police custody, bonded labour and physical abuse are common in India. The chastity of women is strongly related to caste status. Generally, the higher ranking the caste, the more sexual control its women are expected to exhibit. Brahman brides should be virginal, faithful to one husband and celibate in widowhood. By contrast, a sweeper bride may or may not be a virgin, extramarital affair may be tolerated, and, if widowed or divorced, the woman is encouraged to remarry. For the higher castes, such control of female sexuality helps ensure purity of lineageof crucial importance to maintenance of high status. Among Muslims, too, high status is strongly correlated with female chastity. Many thousands of Dalit girls are forced into marriage to temples or local deities in south India, often before puberty, sometimes in payment of a debt. They are married to temples under the guise of the religious practice Devadasis, meaning female servant of god. They are then unable to marry and become unwilling prostitutes for upper-caste men, many eventually being sold into brothels. The Badi Jat is regarded as a prostitution subcaste. Women and girls are routinely trafficked into brothels. Perversely, and hypocritically, untouchability does not seem to apply to prostitution and customers are mainly men from the upper castes. If, because of any reason, there was a contact between an untouchable and a member of the Varnas, the Varna member became defiled and had to immerse or wash himself with water to be purified. In strict societies, especially among the Twice Born (the three top Varnas) the touched Twice Born also had to pass through some religious ceremonies to purify himself from the pollution. If the untouchable entered a house and touched things of a Varna member, the Varna members used to wash or clean the places where the untouchable touched and stepped. A twice born Hindu is a male member of one of the three upper castes who has completed the thread ceremony. The thread ceremony is a Hindu initiation ceremony, similar to a Christian confirmation or a Jewish Bar Mitzvah. A thread is given to the boy and it is thereafter worn over the left shoulder or around the waist. The thread has three strands, representing the three gunas (qualities): satya (truth); rajas (action); and tamas(inertia). Sudras a nd Dalits are excluded from the thread ceremony and cannot become twice-born. Horrific and unbearable are just a few words that come to mind when thinking of the abuse towards Dalits. More than 160 million people in India are considered achuta or untouchable. Human rights violation against these people known as Dalits is extremely prevalent although obviously illegal. Laws have been passed to prevent the abuse of the Dalits and NGO groups have been established to protect these people. However, that doesnt limit the crimes. The enforcement of laws on both local and nationwide scale designed to protect the Dalits is lax if not nonexistent in many regions in India. Often times, especially in rural areas, where the practice of untouchability is the strongest, police officers even join in the abuse of the Dalits. Nearly 50 years later, another event gave rise to a mass of conversions by the untouchables. A man from their class became educated, and then dared to try and watch a festival that the upper class men took part in. The untouchable was soon discovered and called a dirty untouchable and then killed. When the dead mans family tried to report the murder to the police, the police turned them away because they were untouchables. Eventually the police gave in and investigated the murder, later convicting a young man, but that did not satisfy the people. They were tired of being treated so poorly, and soon decided to abandon the Hindu religion and chose a new one. Other headlines about crimes victimizing the Dalits are as follows: Dalit boy beaten to death for plucking flowers; Dalit tortured by cops for three days; Dalit witch paraded naked in Bihar; Dalit killed in lock-up at Kurnool; 7 Dalits burnt alive in caste clash; 5 Dalits lynched in Haryana; Dalit woman gang-raped, paraded naked; Police egged on mob to lynch Dalits. Fear of public humiliation, beatings, and rape keep Indias Untouchables in their place. Statistics from Indias National Crime Records Bureau indicate that in 2000 25,455 crimes were committed against Dalits. Every hour two Dalits were assaulted; every day three Dalit women raped, two Dalits murdered, and two Dalit homes torched. Majority of crimes go unregistered, because the police, village councils, and government officials often support the caste system, which is based on the teachings of Hinduism. Many crimes go unreported due to fear of reprisal, intimidation by police, inability to pay bribes, or simply because people know that the police will do nothing. There will be no punishment for the criminals; no justice for the victimized. Amnesty estimated that only about 5 percent of attacks are registered Hundreds of thousands of Dalits have already renounced Hinduism, generally by conversion to Buddhism or Christianity, sometimes in mass ceremonies. Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, a Dalit leader, lawyer, and politician, famously led several hundred thousand Dalits in converting to Buddhism, saying I was born a Hindu, but I will not die one. Conversion is not a panacea, however, and converts to other religions, especially Christianity and Islam, have suffered continued discrimination. Some converts have lost reserved occupations on the grounds that they are no longer members of scheduled castes and converts are not counted as Dalits in the Indian census. Amidst the oppression and hardships, Dalits still have social life which is expressed through dance and music. Theyre dance and music are full of fiery spirit, spontaneity and humour without the inhibitions and rigid classical structure that characterizes Hindu music and arts. Dalit songs celebrates life but laments their life conditions, while frankly exposing the realities of life, in a style full of humour and sensual zest, by using simple instruments and vocals. In modern times, Dalit poetry and writing by social and political activists have taken centre-stage amongst the educated activist community. Despite the harsh treatment that the untouchables are receiving, there have been certain attempts to help them. The elimination of untouchability became one of the main planks of the platform of all social reform movements of India. Reform movements and humanitarian acts such as those started by Buddha, Ramanuja, Ramanand, Chaitanya, Kabir, Nanak, Tukaram and others were established but they hardly had any effect on the peoples treatment on the untouchables. The Hindu state also enacted laws to punish those who rebelled against their intolerable conditions. The social oppression of the untouchables had religious sanctions. The British listed the poorest (principally Dalit) subcastes in 1935, creating detailed lists of scheduled castes and scheduled tribes. The 1948 Indian constitution, thanks to its architect Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, reinforced this classification, for a system of affirmative action called reservation. The concept was that these measures would help the poorest to escape poverty and oppression. Reservation is an attempt by the Indian national government to redress past discrimination. The constitution reserves 22.5% of national government jobs, state legislature seats, seats in the lower house of the national parliament and higher education places for members of scheduled castes and scheduled tribes. Unfortunately, this policy has not been implemented in full. Less than half the national government quota had been filled in total in 1998 and less than 15% of reserved public sector jobs. An unspoken policy discriminates in favor of upper castes, particularly Brahmins. Dalit representation in university teaching posts is less than 1%. New economic forces, education and nationalist movements had different impacts on the treatment of the people on untouchables. Because of new economic forces, railways and buses were introduced, thus, bringing touchables and untouchables together. Modern industries established in India recruited their labor supply and labor market from both touchables and untouchables, who further worked at the machines in physical proximity to one another. The workers also fought together during labor strikes. Because of education, whether liberal or technical, their economic conditions somewhat improved and different sections following different occupations began to merge, on class basis, with groups of other castes following similar occupations. The new bonds were based not on caste but on common occupation and class. This very slowly began to dissolve the mass of the untouchables into groups such as factory workers, teachers, clerks, merchants, mechanics, or manufacturers. New economic bonds betw een the touchables and untouchables following the same economic activity started weakening the prejudice of untouchability. Finally, nationalist movements also contributed to the benefits received by the untouchables. For example, the Swaraj struggle demanded the democratic alliance of all castes and communities in India whose vital interests lay in the political independence of the country. The nationalist movement contributed towards the dissolution of old distinctions. The social reformers were moved by humanitarian and national considerations when they crusaded against purely social evils. The Untouchables is a topic that touches on many sensitive issues relevant to every society; not only to the Indian society. One prevalent issue that the Untouchables have driven out is that of being an outcast. Perhaps many of us, if not all, can relate to the feeling of being unable to belong and just longing to fit in. Perhaps in high school, we tried out many roles and sought the group we most felt at home in. For the Dalits, life is high school taken to the worse extremes. From birth, they are ostracized. They are placed outside of society; and seen as less than human. They are given roles that they must play, and follow a certain set of rules for the rest of their lives, or suffer the consequences. In our society, to be treated as an outcast in this manner is simply unimaginable. It would seem as though one would go through life apart from society; apart from people. It would be as though one isnt a person at all; that one would be less than a person; less than even an animal. This sense of inequality was seen many times over history, in many different societies, and many are still relevant in todays society. Divisions were brought about by differences in gender, creed, and race, to name a few. Wars have been waged; rallies have been set into motion; and lives have been lost, with regard to all these issues. With all that has happened in our worlds history, Indias society learned nothing to deter from inequalities problems. The Dalits are maltreated and discriminated against. The maltreatment for Dalit women are even harder hit. Their people experience the never-ending cycle of poverty. The caste system was built and based on the idea that each caste or jat has a special role to play in the society but shouldnt an individual have the right to choose what role he/she will play in the society? Is the caste system the best way to achieve an organized and effective society? It is understandable that breaking away from the caste system would be difficult or something very hard to get used to. India has lived through all these years with the mentality that all men are unequal and there will always be untouchables or Dalits. It has become a part of their lives and is embedded in them. There is very little pressure for change, especially within India: it is said that the majority has an interest in perpetuating caste discrimination. Protests by Dalits themselves are rare: for many Dalits, day-to-day survival may be a higher priority. To quote Human Rights Watch: The solution lies in concerted international attention to assist national governments in this important and long overdue work. If you take a look at our society, even without the caste system, you will see that this never-ending cycle of poverty is also a major problem in the Philippines, and one question still stands, that is, How can one break free from poverty? Poverty is a problem, because those experiencing it, the poor, are marginalized. They can barely afford or sometimes cannot afford basic necessities such as food, clothing, and shelter. Yes, in India, as well as the Philippines, there have been programs, laws to aid and support these people. However, it is in the implementation of these laws that fail to solve the problem. For most Western people, the single action that has the best chance of making a difference would be to raise awareness of the problem, repeatedly bringing it to the attention of individuals, politicians, media, diplomats and above all the Indian government. The lack of will to change and unity among people (in India, as well as the Philippines) is one important problem in breaking away from poverty and making a change. Therefore, the caste system or these political divisions continue to live in the minds of many, leaving millions of untouchables or Dalits trapped in a world of oppression and poverty. Change is something much called for in the Indian society, in our society, and in many others around our world today. We can study the oppressive Dalit cases time and time again. We can feel disgusted, depressed, and down reading about them, and we can wonder, can their lives ever change? It isnt enough to read and wonder, in order for change, action is a must. In retrospect, there isnt much radical action one can take for the Dalits when still in second year college in the Philippines. However, we believe there is much we can do in the future, for our society, as well as others. In the words of Mahatma Ghandi, be the change you want to see in the world.

Stem Cell Research: Pros and Cons

Stem Cell Research: Pros and Cons George Dion One Method to Cure Them All Imagine a world where the blind can see and where the crippled can walk. Stem cells can make miracles like this a reality. Stem cells are cells which have no specific function, but have the ability to replace any type of cell in the human body when needed. There are two types of stem cells; embryonic and adult stem cells. Embryonic stem cells can generate all cell types of the human body. Adult stem cells are limited in the number of human cell types they can produce. Research in stem cells is causing a lot of controversy today due to the ethics that go behind gathering them. In order to gather embryonic stem cells, an abortion needs to be performed. Many people in our society are protesting government funding for this practice because they believe that it is immoral and unethical to destroy human life . Many of these people are part of an anti-abortion group called â€Å"The Pro-Life Movement.† Members of this group are devoted christians that believe abortion is a sin. With debates escalating to bombings of abortion clinics, politicians have to decide whether or not funding for embryonic stem cell research is the right action to take to better our country. With other nations further along in embryonic stem cell research, delaying government funding could set us back even further behind in our medical studies. In order for one to take a side in the debate on whether or not the government should fund stem cell research, one must first understand what embryonic stem cells are and what potential do they have in the medical field. In the human body, there are over 220 different types of cells. All of those cell are derived from a group of cells known as embryonic stem cells. An embryonic stem cell is a cell within the human embryo without a predetermined function. This type of stem cell has the potential to become a number of many specialized cells. They can trigger this ability when they are placed among other specialized cells. Specialized cells include any type of cell in the human body with a specific function such as hair, skin, muscle, or organ cells. Embryonic stem cells differ from adult stem cells. Adult stem cells are similar to embryonic stem cells, but they only have a limited number of functions.Therefore, it does not make sense investing time and money into utilizing a type of ce ll when an even better cell exists. Modern science would have the ability to harness the incredible power that is derived from the embryonic stem cell, but activists that believe stem cell research is unethical are holding them back. Because the only way to acquire embryonic stem cells includes destroying the embryo, Christian pro-life activists choose to protest this practice rather than help make a contribution to society by supporting it. From a scientific standpoint, one can only agree that the pros of stem cell research outweigh the cons. Stem cell research is supported by many because these cells have the potential to treat a wide variety of medical conditions and diseases. Stem cell research could even lead to a cure for some of the most tragic injuries and disease of the human body (Stem Cell Facts). These diseases and injuries include but are not limited to: diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, heart disease, stroke, birth defects, and even cancer. With this information alone, an avid member of society can come to the conclusion that stem cells have the ability to cure the diseases that are killing millions of people worldwide and should be utilized to their full potential. People with cancer who undergo numerous chemotherapy sessions, which only slow down the spreading of the cancer, could be fully cured with only a few treatments of stem cell therapy. If scientist had undisputed support from the general publi c, we can witness the use of stem cells being mastered in our generation; and no one would have to suffer like the millions of people debilitated with these tragic diseases again. As also stated in Stem Cell Facts’ article, the cons of stem cell research include the fears of what could come of such knowledge and the moral implications of using the stem cells. Ignorant, Christian, pro-life activists fear that this practice is in a way â€Å"trying to play God,† and that humans should not be messing with human life. With this logic, stem cells can be viewed as a gift from God meant to be developed as used to help our fellow man. The cons of stem cell research are based solely on personal beliefs, there is no fact behind them. Opposers of embryonic stem cell research do not take into account the medical promise that funding for this research will bring. These people also believe that stem cell research would promote abortion, a practice that pro-life activists find inhumane. Many of the debates and controversies go even further than this, such as how the stem cells are collected, why embryonic stem cells are preferable to adult stem cells and the mo ral implications that are involved with using the stem cells from a fetus that could have been a contributing member of society if it was allowed to grow to become a full term baby. (Stem Cell Facts) In 2001, President George W. Bush restricted federal funding for research on stem cells obtained from human embryos because the technology required the destruction of human life. (Benson). President Bush made this decision to acquire more support from fellow politicians. This restriction was later uplifted by President Barack Obama in 2009. This action was taken by our president because he saw the clear potential that embryonic stem cell research has on our society. In 2012, the presidential election campaign raised uncertainty about funding for stem cell research . Many Republicans stated that if elected, they would drastically reduce future federal funding for embryonic stem cell research in attempt to gain the popularity over Christian voters who are against practices that include destroying human embryos. This shows that the people who are supposed to be focused on the main interests of citizens of our country only care about acquiring the most votes in an election. There is no doubt that the majority of Americans support federal funding for embryonic stem cell research. Based on a survey conducted in 2007, 51% of Americans said that it is important to conduct stem cell research that might lead to new cures than to avoid destroying human embryos (Gilgoff). Many of the citizens that protest stem cell research and the gathering of embryonic stem cells believe that this practice is inhumane. From a political standpoint, supporting stem cell research will benefit those involved in politics and the general public as a whole.As citizens of this democratic country of ours, the majority of the people’s vote in topics such as this should contribute in the discions made by politicians if they can directly effect the people. From a moral standpoint, it makes sense to support research that would give up one life to ultimately save millions around the world. In my opinion, finding cures for tragic diseases is more important than following the words fr om a book. Even though research in embryonic stem cells is at a very promising and crucial point, there are people who will go to all means to try to hold back new developments. There is a group in California named â€Å" The Survivors of the Abortion Holocaust.† They are a Christian pro-life activist ministry dedicated to educating the youth of America about practicing abstinence, by the information found on their website, this group seems more like a cult than a group whose intentions include educating the youth of America. The group consists mostly of California residents between the ages of 18-30. By organizing protests at various abortion clinics, the members of The Survivors of the Abortion Holocaust are spreading their ignorant pro-life message, contaminating the minds of today’s youth with personal opinions rather than facts. This one small group will not influence many people’s opinions about the matter, the main group that is trying to cut off funding for embryoni c stem cell research is the Catholic Church. (Who Are the Survivors?) In 2001, the U.S. Roman Catholic Bishops stated that they feel that embryonic stem cell research is â€Å"immoral, illegal, and unnecessary (PBS).† They believe that life is sacred from the moment of conception. But what about conception that occurred before wedlock? Does that not go against the Catholic churchs beliefs? Granted that everyone is entitled to their own opinion, a pregnant woman who is not ready to become a mother and would like to make a contribution to the medical field should have the right to donate her embryo without the fear of being harassed by the church or any active pro-life activists protesting at clinics. It is clear that the only people who are against embryonic stem cell research are religious people who are simply abiding by the requisites of their faith. Why should the United States continue to seek outdated treatment when a more promising, advanced medical procedure is out there? Embryonic stem cell research is reaching potentials only thought possible in science fiction. Imagine if you could take living cells, load them into a printer, and squirt out a 3D tissue that could develop into a kidney or a heart. Scientists are one step closer to that reality, now that they have developed the first printer that is able to produce living embryonic human stem cells (Cronin). With this technology, we are one step closer to creating artificial organs that are able to perform just as well if not better than original human organs. When this practice is mastered, there will be no need for patients to be placed on long waiting lists waiting for an organ donor that matches their criteria. Researchers from Heriot-Watt University in Scotland, have created a cell printer that is able to produce living embryonic stem cells. This machine can be used to create 3D human tissues which can be used for testing new drugs and growing organs. In the near future, this machine will even b e able to produce cells directly into a human body. â€Å"Tests revealed that more than 89% of the cells were still alive three days after being produced from the printer.† These tests prove that this machine is capable of creating cells that are able to sustain human life. If the majority of the cells created by this machine could only stay alive for a minutes, or even hours, it would show little potential for this printer. Since the results are far more promising, printers like this that are capable of creating embryonic stem cells can revolutionize modern medicine today. When we have the ability to end the suffering of many people across our country, why would we hesitate? Our country was founded on the belief that the state should be separated from the church. This simply means that religious beliefs that are based solely on opinion should not influence the decisions made by politicians. If it was not for President Bush’s administration banning federal funding for embryonic stem cell research, advancements that will be made ten years from now could have been made today. Embryonic stem cells are a vital aspect in the medical field. Our country was found on the belief of separation between religion and state. The First Amendment of our Constitution states, Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof (Cornell). This means that beliefs and rules of the church should not affect political decisions. Embryonic stem cell research would fall under this category of the constitution. If our politicians honored the Constitution, they would come to the logical agreement that funding this research would save many lives in the United States. For this controversial issue, the pros undoubtedly out-weigh the cons. Anyone who cannot see this is blind to the scientific facts. With the chance to rid the suffering from millions of people worldwide, why would anyone try to protest embryonic stem cell research? Works Cited Stem Cell Research Pros and Cons. Stem Cell Facts. N.p., 19 Sept. 2011. Web. 21 May 2014.

pitfalls of herbal supplements :: essays research papers

The four billion a year supplement industry sells steroid supplements and herbal speed to millions of teenage boys and girls. There are many types of supplements; among the most popular are Creatine, Andro (androstenedione), and ephedrine. All of these supplements are legal but are they safe? In this paper I will explore why the FDA has failed to put stronger regulations on these supplements, what they are and what they do, who endorses them, and were and how you can purchase these potentially harmful supplements; with the help from Jay McMahan and his expertise as a personal trainer and user of these herbal supplements.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Creatine, Andro, and Ephedrine are among the most popular supplements, but do we know what they are and what they do? Creatine is an amino acid compound naturally produced by the kidneys, liver and pancreas, it helps muscles quickly regenerate after exertion. There are no known harmful side effects, though there is evidence that Creatine can cause dehydration, muscle cramps, weight gain and nausea. The supplement Andro (Androstenedione), is produced naturally in the human body, androstenedione is a precursor hormone for testosterone and estrogen. Its structural similarity to steroids suggests it may pose the same risks (liver damage, heart disease, low sperm counts, development of breasts and violent mood swings), though there have been no long-term studies. The stimulant Ephedrine from ma huang or ephedra, a plant used to treat asthma, fevers, and body and joint pain. Though widely available it has been banned from the NFL, the NCAA and the IOC, and the FDA repor ted anecdotal evidence linking it to eighty-one deaths since 1994.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  You don’t need a dealer or even an ID card to buy these herbal supplements. All teenagers have to do is go to their local mall and purchase it from GNC (General Nutrition Center). Clerks sell these potentially harmful supplements to any one regardless of their age. It seems that they are even marketing towards kids with products such as Creatine Candy and smoothies in a variety of fruit flavors and loaded with the supplement of their choice. Why hasn’t the Food and Drug Administration put stronger regulations on the purchasing of these supplements? For the ease with which supplements can be gotten we can thank Republican Senator Orrin Hatch of Utah. Ten years ago the sport supplement industry was reeling from a string of disasters. The Food and Drug Administrarion began petitioning congress the right to treat supplements like the drugs most scientists say they are and subject them to long, costly such as pharmaceuticals get before they can go to the market.

parsons dance company :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I went to see the Parsons Dance Company on Tuesday April 9th. It was a very interesting show. There were actually many different techniques that I observed in this performance. This company uses many different forms of dance all into one technique, which makes them a unique company.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One characteristic of technique that I noticed in most of the pieces performed was fast paced movement. Every piece was very upbeat and synchronized with the music. All their movements were done to the accents in the music. In â€Å"Too Many Cooks† all the movements were in sync with the sounds in the music. In â€Å"Mood Indigo,† there were three duets and they all showed different colors of indigo by how they dancers expressed their movements. The first duet was the color purple and they showed a couple in love and the movement was very quick. The second duet was the color light purple and the movement was very slow, this was the only piece where the movement was pretty slow. Since it was a lighter color they made the movement slower which fit the whole idea. In many of the other pieces they movement was fast as well.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the piece, â€Å"Caught,† the technique here dealt with strobe lights. David Parson’s choreographed this piece and it was very well done. They had the dancer jumping in the air while they strobed her to give it a suspended in time look to the movement. This is not really a dance technique, but more for perspective. It’s not very often you see someone in the air for a split second suspended in the air. This is a very unique technique and many other companies should try it. David Parson’s is a genius for designing this piece.

All Quiet on the Western Front :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Paul Baumer is the protagonist in All Quiet on the Western Front written by Erich Maria Remarque. Paul changes his values throughout the novel as a result of having to adapt in order to survive. As Baumer struggles to survive the war, he transforms as shown by his thoughts, actions, and the conversations that he contributes in.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   One way that Paul changes is that his patriotism towards his country about war decreases. Paul is sitting with his men around a fire picking off lice and comparing them before throwing them in the fire. Muller starts to ask others what they would do if and when the war is over. After dwelling on the topic for a while they realized the younger men do not know how to do anything but fight. They joined the war at such a young age that they did not get a chance to explore anything else. â€Å"‘The war has ruined us for everything.’† At the beginning of the novel he is excited about defending his country and destroying the enemy, but after having interaction with soldiers from the opposing side he realizes that they are all the same. They are just soldiers fighting for their countries and eager to get home. Paul’s experience in combat changes his thoughts of war. Because of this, he gains the ability to reflect on the events that happen. His own ideas of war changes when he first witnesses the ugly truth of war. Paul’s first experience in combat reveals to him that everything he was taught as a young recruit are lies. This causes him to make his own conclusions and thoughts about the war. As the war goes on, Paul realizes more and more about the reality of the situation that he is in.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Paul loses his innocence and childhood during the war; as a result, he becomes a man. In chapter seven, there is a scene where Paul, Leer, Kropp, and Tjaden swims. Three French women walk on the river bank. Paul and the others make hand motions with a loaf of bread and spoke in broken French. They make plans to meet the girls later that night. â€Å"We call out to them that we would like to come; sometimes when the guards cannot see us...we assure them that we will bring some with us... and other tasty bits too.† (Remarque 145) Through this trade, Paul uses the women for his urges.

Displaced traditional penal practice

To what extent has actuarial Justice displaced traditional penal practice In contemporary societies? The displacement of traditional methods of penal practice within contemporary societies in favor of the more risk orientated model of actuarial justice has proved a contentious issue amongst academic and political discourse and still remains an arena of vigorous debate.The discussion surrounding the progressive area of actuarial Justice may be seen to provide opposing arguments of equal weight and pertinence within modern structures of national criminal Justice systems throughout the globe; however the construction and application f this theoretical model of criminal Justice may differ amongst societies and have heterogeneous effects In combination with differential cultural, economic and Ideological conditions.The concept and practice of actuarial Justice will first be considered and the way it subsequently departs from more traditional procedures of penal practice, primarily analyzi ng western society, with a particular focus upon the British model of criminal Justice. The arguments suggesting that contemporary isosceles are Indeed transposing conventional offender) towards an acknowledgment of potential risky and dangerous populations as a whole ND the consequential strategies of management will subsequently be discussed.Case representations of the way in which differential executions of the same model of actuarial Justice may vary between societies and the disparate consequences they deliver will additionally be considered to highlight the divergent viewpoints and debates encompassing actuarial Justice.Drawing upon the various outcomes actuarial Justice may be argued to impose, with specific reference to the implementation of the indeterminate sentence for public protection (IPP), the debate accentuating the harms and inequalities which are promoted within reticular models of actuarial Justice and thus the argument that on the whole many traditional methods h ave not been displaced in favor of this new risk penology shall be assessed.The concept of actuarial Justice is the process whereby future threats and risks posed by offenders to society are calculated and as such play a dominant role in contributing to prevention techniques and policing which endeavourer to respond to such perceived risk accordingly. Actuarial Justice assumes that deviance within society is habitual and will remain as normalization, viewed as directly resultant of modern society.By this standard, it adopts the position of crime prevention through risk assessment, with a focus upon larger populations deemed dangerous to society opposed to the established approach of criminal Justice which places the individual and their specific offence as preeminent. It is through the depart of individualistic to generalization which has shaped the management techniques associated with actuarial Justice. It can be argued that this model of Justice is consequently unconcerned with t he reformation of offenders, instead seeks to filter particular groups through thaws within the Justice system dependent upon their risk profile.As such it is possible to deduce that actuarial Justice is primarily concerned with the existing and future threat posed upon society by offenders, making the paramount concern crime prevention and constraining lawbreaking activity contrary to providing a suitable response and the comprehension factors contributing to individual criminality. The debate and evidence promoting the implication that actuarial Justice is indeed displacing traditional penal methods is one which is widely and comprehensively presented within both academic and political discourse.Giddiness (1994) proffers the suggestion that societies are to a greater extent preoccupied with the notion of future risk, which may be seen as a by-product of the increased threat posed within the post modern world. Giddiness and Beck (date) refer to this focus upon sustained safety and prevention of future threat the ‘risk society, in which social allegiance to the nation state is dissolved marked by a lack of reverence in traditional institutions and an ascendancy of global forces. Reflexive modernization, described as the possibility of a creative (self-)destruction for an entire epoch: that of industrial society.The ‘subject' of this creative destruction is not the revolution, not the crisis, but the victory of Western modernization' (Beck, date, pop). Concept which undercuts the formations of, for example, class, gender and occupation within the social hierarchy, imposing self-confrontation with the consequences of risk society which may no longer be managed under the practices of industrial societies ‘institutionalized standards'. The paradigm presented by risk society therefore is the split from the protection f the nation state to one of constructing individuals as responsible for their own safety and risk management.The term ‘advanc ed liberal' is deployed by Rose (1996) to further emphasis this social shift, away from the explicit power of the nation state to one which governance is achieved ‘at arm's length', promoting greater independence and need for increased individual responsibilities. This sporadic governance of society is one which is still primarily concerned with the notion of risk and the probability of its subsequent effect, exposing the aggregate populations which are identified as presenting danger society.The focus shifted to an increased managerial approach to crime, aimed at reducing the rate of potential offences and eliminating the presence of ‘carcinogenic situations' (Garland, 1996). This is argued to have marked a divergence from rehabilitative responses targeted at individual offenders, to the generalizes management to particular sections of the population (Simon and Feely, 1992). No longer viewing offenders in a manner akin traditional criminal Justice responses, understandi ng their motives and experiences consequently in need of reformation and treatment but as universal group of potential harm.